Firstly, don’t slam your pestle and wind it around. Instead, rock and smash your ingredients by going around the mortar with your pestle to gather any ingredients that have climbed up the sides, then push them back into the middle and continue. When it comes to investing in one, the best — like ours from David Mellor — are made from coarse unpolished granite. This stone creates enough friction to easily and evenly break down any type of ingredient. It’s also nonporous, so it doesn’t retain flavour and is easy to clean by hand.

Serves 2

• 4-6 limes (depending on size)

• 3 tbsp sugar

• ¾ cup cachaça or vodka

• Ice to taste

• Juice limes until you get about a ⅓ cup of juice. Cut the rest into 1/8 pieces.

• Muddle the limes and sugar until much of the juice and sugar is combined. Pour into a pitcher and stir with lime juice and cachaça or vodka until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over ice and enjoy.

Raise the Bar